The field of the present invention is valve mechanisms for use in the human body.
Valves play an important role in a number of bodily functions. One such physiologic valve is in the urinary tract. Valve failure in this system leads to urinary incontinence, a significant health issue. Urinary incontinence is estimated to affect some ten million Americans. The full extent of this problem is unknown because less than half of affected adults are believed to actually seek medical attention.
Devices are available to assist in the control of urinary incontinence. Such devices include external valves, valves extending throughout the lower urinary tract and into the bladder, devices extending through long portions of the urethra and implanted prostheses as well as injected bulking agents which support the urethral sphincter to enhance operation. Such devices are often inconvenient, uncomfortable and/or require surgical insertion. Other devices are considered overly intrusive.
Native valves are also found in cardiovascular systems. In veins, native venous valves promote one-way flow toward the heart from the periphery. Diseases exist such as venous thrombosis and thrombophlebitis which can render native venous valves incompetent, resulting in edema. Replacement of these native valves with artificial ones could provide substantial health benefits.
The pulmonic valve associated with the heart is yet another native flow control mechanism which can exhibit incompetence either congenitally, through disease or iatrogenically due to treatment of pulmonary stenosis. A one-way valve positioned distal to the native pulmonic valve within the pulmonary artery could be of substantial benefit in overcoming this problem.